


Bravery

by gardnerhill



Category: Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, Star Wars Original Trilogy
Genre: Challenge Response, Community: great_tales, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-15
Updated: 2014-03-15
Packaged: 2018-01-15 19:23:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 936
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1316419
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gardnerhill/pseuds/gardnerhill
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Medals don’t mean the same thing to everyone.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Bravery

**Author's Note:**

> For Great Tales’ Challenge 303 (Awards!)

“You _sold_ it?” Luke shouted.

Solo made the exasperated sound one normally makes when someone else suddenly discovers to their shock that water is wet. “A half-kilo of pure Cardubbian gold? Damn right I melted it down and sold it. You wanna give me a hand up here?”

Luke gaped like a fish – as if a Tatooine farm-kid would even know what one looked like. “Do you even know what that medal meant?”

Han snorted. “Come on, Luke, what’s the puncture here? Her Highness hands off some military jewelry, everyone applauds, and now it’s all mine. Well, I needed to buy some things more than I needed something shiny to wear. Besides, I kept the ribbon.” He checked the four air-cycler attachments, tightened one, made a face and disconnected one that crumpled to the touch like an eggshell. “Bring that box up here.”

Luke disappeared, and a minute later clambered out of the top hatch of the _Falcon_ carrying the spare parts.

Solo nodded as Skywalker approached. “Okay, now I’m looking for something that looks like this.” He held up the damaged section of the ship’s life-support hardware.

Luke began rummaging through the odds and ends. Han could have found what he wanted in seconds if he’d done it himself; instead he turned his attention to the purifier, running the tester against each of the filters, while he waited for Luke to find it. Dioxide filter sound. Monoxide filter sound.

“That medal was created just for us by the Alliance, Han.” Luke’s voice still radiated disbelief. “They’re calling it the Medal of Bravery.”

Solo snorted. “Clever name.” Rad filter sound. Gamma filter sound. Scanner green; purifier sound. “I already know I’m brave, I don’t need to wear something that tells other people that.” Without moving his head Han looked up from the open panel to Luke’s face. “That was a dream come true for you, wasn’t it? Doing something big and important, being recognized as a hero by your heroes. That’s everyone’s dream. Hold it – that’s it, what you’re holding!” He held out his hand.

Luke handed him the attachment and watched as Han set it in place. “Since I was old enough to drive the collector – I’d hold the controls as if it was an X-Wing. Uncle Owen used to chew me out…” He stopped and looked down, blinking hard.

Ah. “It wasn’t the big thrill you thought it would be, was it.” Tighten down, lock the assembly. Scanner green; cycler sound. Panel 3B clear.

Luke’s voice was just above a whisper. “There was so much death. I hadn’t thought of that.”

Han reattached the panel without responding; Luke didn’t want a response. That’s what the generals always counted on – young idiots who thought they’d live forever hopping into those death-darts with a laugh and a song to go slay the dragon and receive the thanks of the kingdom. Harder to sing when that dragon’s burned friends or family along the way. “Scoot back, you’re on Panel 3C.”

“Huh? Oh.” Luke scooted, and Solo hitched forward to begin unbolting the next panel.

“For what it’s worth, kid?” Solo kept his eyes on his work. “I’m impressed by your bravery. Anyone can dash into battle with a group, but staying there while people get picked off around you, keeping your nerve? Firing a good shot is tough enough when you’re holding still and in a calm setting. It wasn’t just luck that you survived. You’re good. Whatever you used to steady your hand and eye on that last round worked.” He moved the panel aside, and looked up at Luke. He grinned. “I don’t need a lump of gold around your neck to tell me that.”

Luke grinned back, his eyes a bit watery. “Thanks. Of course, you saving my life out there made it a lot easier to concentrate on my aim.”

“That was the idea,” Han said lightly, and ran the scanner over the gravity generator. Orange. He cursed. He knew he didn’t have a spare generator in that parts box. You could fly without gravity but it was hell on your stomach –

A cheery rumble sounded from under their platform.

“And he’s back. Chewie, make me happy!” Solo called over the side. (Maybe if he lived to be 200 years old, he’d learn to speak Wookieese as well as understand it.)

Affirmative – Chewbacca had found and purchased everything on the list – and yes, he’d gotten a brand-new gravity generator, _he_ wasn’t going to spend half his flying time vomiting again.

Han Solo beamed.  The _Falcon_ was officially good as new and re-supplied with good replacement parts; that was a hell of a lot more valuable than a heavy neck decoration. “Bring it on up!”

When Chewbacca’s head emerged from the top hatch, Luke turned to greet the co-pilot, but burst out laughing instead.

Han kept grinning.  “Told you I kept the ribbon. And he deserves the honor more than I did – he goaded me into following you out there.”

Chewbacca handed over the new generator and preened a little. The brown ribbon that had borne the Medal of Bravery now held a long tuft of the Wookiee’s hair off to one side in a jaunty little pony tail.

“You look very nice, Chewie,” Luke said, holding the precious engine part and grinning ear to ear. “And thanks once again for saving me.”

Chewbacca made the exact same exasperated noise that Solo had done. What kind of beast would he be to leave such a brave cub to die alone?

“My thoughts exactly,” said Han Solo, and tossed the dud generator into the box.


End file.
